Rushnyky were used in many rituals of life, most notably in the wedding ceremony. The betrothed couple would stand on their wedding rushnyk as their hands were bound together and they were crowned as husband and wife. Many of these young fallen heroes never got the opportunity to stand on their wedding rushnyk, and instead were buried with one.
The unique exhibition at the UHEC features 100 handcrafted rushnyky made during the peak of their popularity in Ukraine from the end of the 19th to the middle of the 20th century. At this time, the rushnyk expanded far beyond its original use as a sacred cloth and started to be used as decorative folk art.
Most of these rushnyky are being exhibited for the first time in the United States. Curators and collectors Yuri Mischenko and Natalie Pawlenko have traveled extensively throughout their ancestral homeland of central Ukraine and became fascinated with the beauty of the land and its folk art. During these trips they made extensive contacts with Ukrainian folk artists and collectors, and have assembled the impressive collection of traditional hand-made embroidered and woven Ukrainian rushnyky on view at this exhibition.
The exhibition is a collaborative effort between the UHEC and the curators, Yuri Mischenko and Natalie Pawlenko. The opening and gallery talk will take place Sunday, March 3, at 1 p.m. at the Ukrainian History and Education Center’s Library Gallery, at 135 Davidson Ave., Somerset, NJ 08873. The exhibition will remain open through August 31; hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month. Groups are welcome by appointment. Suggested donation: $10. For additional information call 732-356-0132 or email [email protected]